THE EFFECT OF HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES ON STUDENT THRIVING IN COLLEG

Southeastern University FireScholars Doctor of Education (Ed.D) Spring 2019 THE EFFECT OF HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES ON STUDENT THRIVING IN COLLEGE Cody Lloyd Southeastern University - Lakeland Follow this and additional works at: https://firescholars.seu.edu/coe Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Lloyd, Cody, "THE EFFECT OF HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES ON STUDENT THRIVING IN COLLEGE" (2019) Doctor of Education (Ed.D) 33 https://firescholars.seu.edu/coe/33 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by FireScholars It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Education (Ed.D) by an authorized administrator of FireScholars For more information, please contact firescholars@seu.edu THE EFFECT OF HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES ON STUDENT THRIVING IN COLLEGE By CODY J LLOYD A doctoral dissertation submitted to the College of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership Southeastern University March 2019 i TIIB EFFECT OF HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES ON STUDENT THRIVING IN COLLEGE by CODYJ LLOYD Dissertation Approved: a Rosalind Goodrich, PhD;15issertation Chair /4 /Jo}?JM Thomas 1-t(/t[)// ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My work on this dissertation and doctoral degree would not have been possible without the help of a number of individuals I want to first thank my wife, Sarah, without her support in this endeavor it would have never been possible I want to thank my dissertation committee, especially Dr Goodrich’s patience as I made slow and steady progress towards my goal, and Dr Gollery for his help and guidance during my analysis I want to thank Dr Permenter for allowing me the opportunity to pursue my degree and allowing me flexibility when the workload was heavy Last but not least, I acknowledge my God, to Him goes all the glory Corinthians 10:31 iii ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of campus involvement, specifically high impact practices, on college student thriving This single institution quantitative study was conducted at a mid-sized Christian university in the southeastern region of the U.S Using preexisting data, a predictive analysis was conducted via multilinear regression techniques Through evaluating college student participation in high-impact practices (HIPs), in addition to “alternative engagement indicators,” as independent variables and college student thriving, using the Thriving Quotient, as the dependent variable there were several notable findings When considering “alternative engagement indicators”, three of the 11 included in the study were predictive of student thriving: campus events, community service, and religious services As for specific high-impact practices one out of the 10 practices demonstrated predictive power: service learning Key Words: High-Impact Practices; College Student Thriving; Engagement; Involvement; Student Success; Student Development; Higher Education iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………………… iii Abstract……………………………………………………………………………… iv Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………v List of Tables………………………………………………………………………… vii List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………viii Chapter Page I INTRODUCTION .1 Background Purpose Statement Research Questions Methods .6 Definitions II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 11 Perspectives on Student Success 11 Theoretical Perspectives of Student Success 11 Sociological Perspectives of Student Success 12 Psychological Perspectives of Student Success 14 Organizational Perspectives of Student Success 17 Cultural Perspectives of Student Success 19 Economic Perspective of Student Success 22 Expanded Vision of Student Success 24 Thriving 27 Humanistic/Positive Psychology Foundations 28 Domains of Thriving 30 Academic Thriving 31 Interpersonal Thriving 31 Intrapersonal Thriving 32 Thriving Quotient 33 Pathways to Thriving 34 Theoretical Framework – Engagement/Involvement 37 College Impact Theory 37 Student Engagement Theory 39 Student Engagement/High-Impact Practices 41 v First-Year Seminar/Experiences 41 Learning Communities and Common Intellectual Experiences 42 Experiential Learning 44 Course-Based High-Impact Practices 46 Characteristics of High-Impact Practices 48 Effects of High-Impact Practices 48 Limits on High-Impact Practices 49 Relationship Between HIPs and Thriving 50 III METHOD 53 Participants and Procedures 54 Instrument 54 Variables 56 Definition of Terms 57 Analysis 58 IV RESULTS 60 Preliminary Analysis 60 Research Question 61 Research Question 63 Research Question 64 V DISCUSSION 65 Major Findings 65 Discussion of Results 65 Research Question 65 Research Question 69 Research Question 71 Limitations 74 Implications for Practice 75 Future Research 77 REFERENCES 79 APPENDICES 100 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 62 63 64 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Bean and Eaton’s (2000,2001) Psychology Model of Student Retention 15 A Framework for Diversity 22 viii I INTRODUCTION The importance of a college education has been clearly researched and documented A college education provides a path for economic stability both for the individual and the nation A college education has been a proven predictor of civic engagement, good health, and a higher sense of well-being (Wolfe & Haveman, 2002) A report by Hart Research Associates (2013), indicated that there is a keen awareness of the value of a college education that is held by the public, regardless of socioeconomic status While there is a clear perceived value in education, and enrollment rates continue to rise overall, there are gaps in enrollment when looking across various demographic groups (Ma, Pender, & Welch, 2016) The same pattern can be seen when considering degree attainment With the increase of globalization in higher education, even the former President of the United States has called for increased involvement in higher education as a nation (Obama, 2009) According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (NCPPHE), Americans between the ages of 25-35 are now ranked 10th in the world for college degree attainment (Measuring Up 2008, 2008) Degree attainment rates are even more concerning when looking at various demographics such as ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, and firstgeneration college students (Choy, 2001) Efforts must continue to be undertaking to improve degree attainment rates, but completion rates only tell part of the story Many scholars agree that 573 Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J S (2000) Expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 68-81 doi:10.1006/ceps.1999.1015 Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J S (2002) The development of competency beliefs, expectations for success, and achievement values from childhood through adolescence In A Wigfield & J S Eccles (Eds.), Development of achievement motivation (pp 91-120) Cambridge, MA: Academic Press Wolfe, B L., & Haveman, R H (2002) Social and nonmarket benefits from education in an advanced economy Paper presented at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's 47th Economic Conference, Boston, MA Wolniak, G., & Engberg, M (2015) The influence of “high-impact” college experiences on early career outcomes Paper presented at the American Education Research Assocation, Chicago, IL Zhao, C., & Kuh, G (2004) Adding value: Learning communities and student engagement Research in Higher Education, 45(2), 115-138 100 Appendix A: Thriving Quotient Survey Psychosocial Items (Agreement: 1-Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree) (ELI1) I feel as though I am learning things in my classes that are worthwhile to me as a person (ELI2) I can usually find ways of applying what I'm learning in class to something else in my life (AD1) I am confident I will reach my educational goals (ELI3) I find myself thinking about what I'm learning in class even when I'm not in class (AD4) Even if assignments are not interesting to me, I find a way to keep working at them until they are done well (ELI4) I feel energized by the ideas I am learning in most of my classes (AD5) I know how to apply my strengths to achieve academic success (AD6) I am good at juggling all the demands of college life (AD7) Other people would say I’m a hard worker (PSC1) I feel like I belong here (SC1) Other people seem to make friends more easily than I (PSC2) Being a student here fills an important need in my life (DC1) I spend time making a difference in other people's lives (PSC4) I feel proud of the college or university I have chosen to attend (SC3) I don’t have as many close friends as I wish I had (PSC5) There is a strong sense of community on this campus (DC3N) I value interacting with people whose viewpoints are different from my own (SC2N) I feel like my friends really care about me (DC2) I know I can make a difference in my community (SC4N) I feel content with the kinds of friendships I currently have 101 (SPIR1) My spiritual or religious beliefs provide me with a sense of strength when life is difficult (AD8) When I'm faced with a problem in my life, I can usually think of several ways to solve it (POS1) My perspective on life is that I tend to see the glass as “half full” rather than "half empty." (SPIR2N) My spiritual or religious beliefs give meaning and purpose to my life (SC6) It's hard to make friends on this campus (DC4) It's important for me to make a contribution to my community (POS3N) I look for the best in situations, even when things seem hopeless (DC6N) My knowledge or opinions have been influenced or changed by becoming more aware of the perspectives of individuals from different backgrounds (SC5N) I often feel lonely because I have few close friends with whom to share my concerns (SPIR3) My spiritual or religious beliefs are the foundation of my approach to life (TUITIONWORTH) I am confident that the amount of money I'm paying for college is worth it in the long run (REENROLL) I intend to re-enroll at this institution next year (graduating seniors please leave this blank!) (GRADUATE) I intend to graduate from this institution (FIT) Given my current goals, this institution is a good fit for me (CHOOSE) If I had to it over again, I would choose a different university to attend (ENJOY) I really enjoy being a student here (INTEGRITY1) My experiences on this campus so far have met my expectations (INTEGRITY2) The institution was accurately portrayed during the admissions process (INTEGRITY3) Overall, the actions of faculty, staff, and administrators on this campus are consistent with the mission of the institution 102 Engagement Items (Frequency: 1-Never to 6-Frequenly) (CAMPUSACT) Campus events or activities (SOCIALFAC) Interaction with faculty outside of class (FRATSOR) Fraternity/Sorority (COMMSERV) Community Service (RELIGIOUS) Religious services or activities (ETHNICORGS) Campus ethnic organizations (such as Black Student Association) (ADVFREQ) Met with your academic advisor (CAREERFAC) Discussed career or grad school plans with faculty (ACADFAC) Discussed academic issues with faculty (OFCHRS) Met with faculty during office hours (EMAILFAC) E-mailed, texted, or Facebooked faculty 103 High-Impact Practice Items (Frequency: 1-Never to 6-Frequenly) (LEARNCOM) Participated in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together (FIRSTYRSEM) Participated in a first-year seminar (WRITING) Taken writing-intensive courses (GROUP) Taken courses that required a group project (SERVICELRN) Taken courses that included a community-based project (service learning) (LECTURE) Taken courses that relied solely on lecture (INTERN) Participated in an internship, co-op, field experience, student teaching, or clinical placement (STUDYABROAD) Studied abroad (FACRES) Conducted research with a faculty member (CAPSTONE) Participated in a culminating experience, such as a capstone course, senior project or thesis, art exhibit, senior recital, or portfolio 104 Involvement INVOLVE_HOURS Please indicate the number of hours per week that you devoted to your involvement in a student organization or student leadership role during this semester: • 0 (0) • 1-5 (1) • 6-10 (2) • 11-15 (3) • 16-20 (4) • 21-25 (5) • 26-30 (6) • more than 30 (7) INVOLVE_MANDATE Please indicate how many of your hours per week devoted to student organizations or leadership roles are incentivized or mandated (i.e., stipend, hourly pay, scholarship-dependent, etc.) • 0 (1) • 1-5 (2) • 6-10 (3) • 11-15 (4) • 16-20 (5) • 21-25 (6) • 26-30 (7) • more than 30 (8) LEADER Please indicate the number of elected or appointed positions you have held during this semester (e.g., president/chairperson/captain/editor, secretary, treasurer, committee/project chairperson, Resident Assistant (RA), orientation leader, etc.): • 0 (0) • 1 (1) • 2 (2) • 3 (3) • 4 (4) • 5 or more (5) 105 Organizational Engagement Quality Items (Frequency_2: 1-NA to 5-Very Often) (QUALITY1) When I attended organization meetings, I expressed my opinion and/or took part in discussion (QUALITY2) When I was away from members of the group/organization, I talked with others about the organization and its activities, or wore a shirt or button to let others know about my involvement (QUALITY3) When the group/organization sponsored a program or activity, I made an effort to encourage other students and/or members to attend (QUALITY4) I volunteered or was assigned responsibility to work on something that the group or organization needed to have done (QUALITY5) I fulfilled assigned duties or responsibilities to the group or organization on time this semester 106 Satisfaction Items (Satisfaction: 1-Very Dissatisfied to 6-Very Satisfied) (LEARNSAT) The amount you are learning in your classes (OVERSAT) Your overall experiences at this university (FACINT) The amount of contact you have had with faculty this year (ADVSAT) The academic advising you have received this year (PEERSAT) The kinds of interaction you have had with other students this year (FACSAT) The quality of the interaction you have had with faculty so far this year (DIVSAT) The interactions you have had this year with students of different ethnic backgrounds (PAYSAT) The amount of money you personally have to pay to attend college here (FACDIV) Faculty sensitivity to the needs of diverse students (DIVDISC) Faculty encouragement for students to contribute diverse perspectives in class discussions (DIVPERSP) The degree to which faculty include diverse perspectives in the curriculum (HEALTHSAT) Your physical health right now (FINANCIALAID) The amount of financial aid I have received 107 Demographic FIRSTGEN Did either of your parents attend college? • Yes (1) • No (2) GENDER Gender: • Female (1) • Male (0) • Other (99) AGE Age: • • • • • • • • • • • 17 or younger (1) 18-20 (2) 21-23 (3) 24-26 (4) 27-30 (5) 31-34 (6) 35-38 (7) 39-42 (8) 43-46 (9) 47-50 (10) over 50 (11) LEVEL Class level: • First-year (1) • Sophomore (2) • Junior (3) • Senior (4) • Other (Please Specify) (5) STATUS Enrollment Status • Full-time student (1) • Part-time student (0) TRANSFER Did you transfer into this institution? • Yes (1) • No (0) 108 HSGRADES How would you describe your grades in high school? • mostly A’s (6) • mostly A’s and B’s (5) • mostly B’s (4) • mostly B’s and C’s (3) • mostly C’s (2) • below a C average (1) DEGREEGOAL What is the HIGHEST degree you intend to pursue in your lifetime? • none (1) • bachelor’s (2) • teaching credential (3) • master’s degree (4) • doctorate (5) • medical or law degree (6) • other graduate degree (specify) (7) INCOME What is your best guess about your household income level? • less than $30,000 a year (1) • $30,000 to $59,999 (2) • $60,000 to $89,999 (3) • $90,000 to 119,999 (4) • $120,000 and over (5) ONCAMPUS Do you live on campus? • Yes (1) • No (0) WORK Do you work for pay? • no (0) • on campus (1) • off campus (2) • both on and off campus (3) 109 RACE Collecting information about race and ethnicity assists colleges to understand the varying needs of students on campus How you identify your racial or ethnic family background? • African-American / Black (1) • American Indian / Alaskan Native (2) • Asian-American/Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (3) • Caucasian / White (4) • Latino / Hispanic (5) • Other (specify) (6) • Prefer not to respond (7) INTL Are you an international student? • Yes (1) • No (2) FIRSTCHOICE When you chose to enroll in this institution, was it your first choice? • Yes (1) • No (0) ATHLETE Are you a member of an intercollegiate athletic team on this campus? • Yes (1) • No (0) MAJORSURE How sure are you of your major? • Very Unsure (1) • Unsure (2) • Somewhat Unsure (3) • Somewhat Sure (4) • Sure (5) • Very Sure (6) FINDIFF Considering the financial aid you’ve received and the money you and your family have, how much difficulty have you had so far in paying for your school expenses? • No difficulty (1) • A little difficulty (2) • Some difficulty (3) • A fair amount of difficulty (4) • Great difficulty (5) 110 COLLGRADES How would you describe your grades in college so far? • mostly A’s (6) • mostly A’s and B’s (5) • mostly B’s (4) • mostly B’s and C’s (3) • mostly C’s (2) • below a C average (1) Self-Perceived Thriving THRIVING We are interested in what helps students thrive in college Thriving is defined as getting the most out of your college experience, so that you are intellectually, socially, and psychologically engaged and enjoying the college experience Given that definition, to what extent you think you are THRIVING as a college student this semester? • not even surviving (1) • barely surviving (2) • surviving (3) • somewhat thriving (4) • thriving most of the time (5) • consistently thriving (6) THRIVINGEVENTS What has happened this semester that has led to your perception of whether you are thriving or not? [Open Ended] 111 Scale(s): Agreement Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree Frequency_2 N/A Never Occasionally Often Very Often 112 Appendix B: High-Impact Educational Practices (G Kuh & O’Donnell, 2013) First-Year Seminars and Experiences Many schools now build into the curriculum first-year seminars or other programs that bring small groups of students together with faculty or staff on a regular basis The highest-quality first-year experiences place a strong emphasis on critical inquiry, frequent writing, information literacy, collaborative learning, and other skills that develop students’ intellectual and practical competencies First-year seminars can also involve students with cutting-edge questions in scholarship and with faculty members’ own research Common Intellectual Experiences The older idea of a “core” curriculum has evolved into a variety of modern forms, such as a set of required common courses or a vertically organized general education program that includes advanced integrative studies and/or required participation in a learning community (see below) These programs often combine broad themes—e.g., technology and society, global interdependence—with a variety of curricular and cocurricular options for students Learning Communities The key goals for learning communities are to encourage integration of learning across courses and to involve students with “big questions” that matter beyond the classroom Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work closely with one another and with their professors Many learning communities explore a common topic and/ or common readings through the lenses of different disciplines Some deliberately link “liberal arts” and “professional courses”; others feature service learning Writing-Intensive Courses These courses emphasize writing at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum, including final-year projects Students are encouraged to produce and revise various forms of writing for different audiences in different disciplines The effectiveness of this repeated practice “across the curriculum” has led to parallel efforts in such areas as quantitative reasoning, oral communication, information literacy, and, on some campuses, ethical inquiry Collaborative Assignments and Projects Collaborative learning combines two key goals: learning to work and solve problems in the company of others, and sharpening one’s own understanding by listening seriously to the insights of others, especially those with different backgrounds and life experiences Approaches range from study groups within a course, to team-based assignments and writing, to cooperative projects and research Undergraduate Research Many colleges and universities are now providing research experiences for students in all disciplines Undergraduate research, however, has been most prominently used in science disciplines With strong support from the National Science Foundation and the research community, scientists are reshaping their courses to connect key concepts and questions with students’ early and active involvement in systematic investigation and research The goal is to involve students with actively contested questions, empirical observation, cutting-edge 113 technologies, and the sense of excitement that comes from working to answer important questions Diversity/Global Learning Many colleges and universities now emphasize courses and programs that help students explore cultures, life experiences, and worldviews different from their own These studies—which may address U.S diversity, world cultures, or both—often explore “difficult differences” such as racial, ethnic, and gender inequality, or continuing struggles around the globe for human rights, freedom, and power Frequently, intercultural studies are augmented by experiential learning in the community and/or by study abroad Service Learning, Community-Based Learning In these programs, field-based “experiential learning” with community partners is an instructional strategy—and often a required part of the course The idea is to give students direct experience with issues they are studying in the curriculum and with ongoing efforts to analyze and solve problems in the community A key element in these programs is the opportunity students have to both apply what they are learning in real-world settings and reflect in a classroom setting on their service experiences These programs model the idea that giving something back to the community is an important college outcome, and that working with community partners is good preparation for citizenship, work, and life Internships Internships are another increasingly common form of experiential learning The idea is to provide students with direct experience in a work setting—usually related to their career interests—and to give them the benefit of supervision and coaching from professionals in the field If the internship is taken for course credit, students complete a project or paper that is approved by a faculty member Capstone Courses and Projects Whether they’re called “senior capstones” or some other name, these culminating experiences require students nearing the end of their college years to create a project of some sort that integrates and applies what they’ve learned The project might be a research paper, a performance, a portfolio of “best work,” or an exhibit of artwork Capstones are offered both in departmental programs and, increasingly, in general education as well 114 ... significantly to college student thriving The final pathway to thriving is student- faculty interaction Student- faculty interactions are one of the main elements measured in the National Survey of Student. .. is that of intrapersonal thriving 32 This domain considers the positive psychological functioning of college students including perceptions of oneself, relationships with others, the college... Schreiner on the development of the thriving construct The thriving construct embodies the concepts of positive psychology and their application to student development theories in higher education